Illuminator with adjustable beam direction and divergence

Abstract

An illuminator apparatus uses positional offset of an array of light emitting areas and a lens array to control resulting direction and diffusion of a combined overall beam of light. Specifically, translation of the lens array relative to the light emitting area array enables steering of the overall beam, and rotation of lens array relative to the light emitting area array controls overall beam divergence.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for emitting light comprising:
 a first array of separate light emitting areas; 
 a second array of lenses aligned with and spaced from the first array of separate light emitting areas, wherein each lens of the second array of lenses is associated with one of the separate light emitting areas, and each lens emitting a corresponding collimated beam of light, and wherein the separate light emitting areas are not enclosed by the second array of lenses; and 
 an adjuster configured to at least alter, over a range of positions, an in-plane position of the first array of the separate light emitting areas with respect to the second array of lenses, the alteration enabling control of a direction of overall light emitted by the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one light emitting diode providing light to the first array of separate light emitting areas. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each lens is reflective. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each lens is refractive. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first array of separate light emitting areas comprise extraction elements arranged in an array structure in a waveguide that reflect light injected into an edge of the waveguide. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the extraction elements comprise prisms in the waveguide. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the adjuster is configured to at least rotate the position of the first array of the separate light emitting areas with respect to the second array of lenses, the rotation enabling control of divergence of the overall light emitted by the apparatus. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the adjuster is configured to at least rotate the second array of lenses while the first array of the separate light emitting areas remains fixed in position. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the adjuster is configured to at least rotate the first array of the separate light emitting areas while the second array of lenses remains fixed in position. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the adjuster is configured to at least laterally translate the position of the first array of the separate light emitting areas with respect to the second array of lenses, the translation enabling further control of direction of the overall light emitted by the apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the adjuster is configured to at least translate the second array of lenses while the first array of the separate light emitting areas remains fixed in position. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the adjuster is configured to at least laterally translate the first array of the separate light emitting areas while the second array of lenses remains fixed in position.